BA provides cash to DfT-funded active-travel-to-school awards

The Bicycle Association has provided £10,000 to help support Modeshift’s STARS programme that aims to get more kids cycling and walking to school. The programme is majority funded by the Department for Transport. STARS stands for Sustainable Travel Accreditation and Recognition for Schools.

Modeshift’s STAR programme awards schools bronze, silver or gold stars according to how effective they are at persuading pupils to choose greener and healthier ways of getting to and from school.

Around 5,000 schools already follow the scheme. At the Modeshift conference in Birmingham Baroness Kramer revealed that the Department for Transport would provide funding of nearly £200,000. This will allow a further 19,000 schools to sign up to the programme for free until March 2016.

Baroness Kramer said:

“We all know that walking or cycling is good for your health and better for the environment than jumping into a car. That is why I am delighted to support this programme, which incentivises youngsters to choose a healthier route to school.”

Modeshift will be working with Living Streets to look at ways to increase walking to school. The Bicycle Association’s £10,000 will go towards towards prizes for schools taking part in the project, which is overseen by Durham County Council.